Paint pail cradle



March 6, 1951 y L. W. HAMILTON PAINT PAIL CRADLE Filed Sept. 16, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 6, w51 w. HAMILTONI 2,544,312

PAINT Pm. CRADLE Filed Sept. 16, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2y IN VEN TOR.

M. MfHWU-M Y ww' Patented Mar. 6, 1951 UNITED" `STATES PATENTA OFFICE ,2,544,312v y g PAINT PAIL CRADLE Lloyd W. Hamilton, Elmira, Appiie'fbn september 16, ll94zgseriai No. 774,397

My invention-isf a fnveipaint`pi1--erad1e for the purpose of supporting in 'upright position a paint pailf on' the side,of .aladderj theflpails vbeing of variouslengthsand diarrietersfi t Theprinci'palobjectf my. invention is to provide a device that. williirmlyhold a paint pail in upright position regardless of the angle of the ladder with respect to the vertical.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device which is easily adjustable to support diierent sizes of pails.

Still another object is the provision of a device that is quickly and easily attachable to either side of a ladder and which, when not in use, takes up a minimum amount of space.

Other minor objects of my invention will be hereinafter set forth.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates one practical embodiment thereof to enable others to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation looking at the side of a ladder showing my paint pail cradle mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is an elevation normal to the plane of the ladder and showing the paint pail cradle operatively mounted thereon and supporting a paint pail indicated in dotted lines therein.

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the cradle.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken along line 4 4, Fig. l, showing the latch provided for holding the cradle on the side of the ladder.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, my invention comprises a pair of rigid straps I secured in parallel spaced relation to form a longitudinal slot Ia therebetween. A block 2 slides on said straps and is located in the slot Ia by a tongue 2a, said tongue projecting below the block and terminatin a spacer abutment 2b. Against the straps I and on the other side from the block 2 is a stud k footing 2c carrying a stud 2d extending through said slot and block and adapted to bind the block in adjusted position on said straps I when wingnut 2a is tightened on the stud 2d. Extending from the underside of the block 2 is a wedgeshaped projection 2f cooperating with spacer abutment 2b to hold therebetween the top rim of the paint pail C. 'I'he bottom rim D ofthe pail is held securely by upwardly extending hook-like bends Ib at the lower ends of the straps I, the

bends" Ib extending up within the `rim D toward the bottom surface E of the pail.

Maintaining thefstraps I in rigid spaced relation are spacer bars 3 and 4 riveted to the straps I 'at their lower and upper end respectively, the assembly being staked, welded or otherwise prevented'froml wracking as at 5. :This assembly comprising straps I, block 2, and bars 3 and 4 is pivotally mounted by a rivet 6 on a bracket 1, this mounting allowing the pail C and cradle to assume a vertical position regardless of the angle the ladder makes with respect to the vertical.

A metal strip 'I is provided running parallel to the ladder upright AA, the lower end of which strip is urged into engagement with the upright AA by the bend 'Ia at the top of the strip. Near the upper end of the strip I is rigidly mounted a U-shaped member 8, see Fig. 4, the flanges 8a being bent around to engage the ladder upright AA. Extending through a projection 8b of one iiange '8a of the member 8 is a pivot 9 carrying a latch I0 free to swivel about said pivot. The other end of latch 9 iits in a lot 8c cut up into the other flange 8a so that in operation the latch I0 rests on top of the ladder rung AB and is held up in said slot 8c by the weight of the entire cradle assembly. At the lower end of strip 1 another U-shaped member II with flanges IIa is riveted in place, said member engaging upright AA to maintain bracket strip 'I parallel therewith.

Operation To mount the unit on the ladder, the strip 1 is held against the upright AA so that said upright fits between the anges 8a and Ha, respectively. The strip 'I is held up so that latch II) is considerably above rung AB and the' latch is then swung up into slot 8c and the unit lowered down the upright until the latch I0 rests on the rung AB. With the strip thus mounted in operative position, the pail supporting assembly pivots around rivet 6 until slot I a, is disposed vertically. The lower rim D of the pail is then engaged by the hook-like bends Ib at the lower ends of the straps I and the block 2 is lowered until the wedge-shaped projection 2f binds the top rim of the pail against abutment 2b. Support of a large variety of pail sizes is thus quickly and easily effected.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A cradle for mounting paint pails or the like on ladders, comprising a strip adapted to be positioned beside an upright of a ladder; means for mounting the strip thereon; a frame comprising a pair of spaced straps providing a slot and connected together at their upper and lower ends, said straps being bent upwardly at their lower ends to form hooks for engaging under the lower rim of a paint pail, a pivot swingably joining the upper end of said frame to said strip; a block slidable in said slot and having a lug adapted to enter the upper end of said pail and firmly hold said pail in cooperation with said hooks; means for binding said block in operative position in said slot, said block comprising a slide of greater width than lthe slot and having a T-shaped tongue engaging said slot and projecting below said slide to form therebelow an abutment; said lug comprising a wedgeshaped projection on the slide opposite said abutment; and means for binding said block in adjusted position in said slot.

2. A cradle for holding paint pails comprising a pair of spaced straps forming a slot; said straps bent up at their lower ends forming hooks to engage the lower rim of a paint pail. means for maintaining the straps in spaced relation; a block slidable in said slot and adapted to engage the upper rim of said pail and firmly hold said pail in cooperation with said hooks; means for binding said block in operative position on said straps; means for mounting the cradle on a support; said block comprising a slide of greater width than the slot and having a T- shaped tongue engaging said slot and projecting below said slide to form therebelow an abutment; a wedge-shaped projection on the lower end of said slide opposite said abutment; and means through said bore for binding said block in adjusted position in said slot.

LLOYD W. HAMILTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,862,701 Moelter et al. June 14, 1932 2,056,527 Kummer Oct. 6, 1936 2,367,256 Atkins Jan. 16, 1945 2,427,416 Petersen Sept. 16, 1947 

